US Department of Labor seeks to return $128K in recovered wages to more than 200 current, former Puerto Rico Police Department officers

News Release

US Department of Labor seeks to return $128K in recovered wages to more than 200 current, former Puerto Rico Police Department officers

SAN JUAN, PR - The U.S. Department of Labor is looking for 204 current or former officers of the Puerto Rico Police Department, who worked between June 13, 2010, and August 31, 2014, and are owed back wages as part of a 2016 federal court order.

The order required the Puerto Rico Police Department to pay $8,732,386 in back wages and interest to 2,642 current and former police officers. The police department has delivered back wages to most of these workers. However, the police department was unable to contact 204 of the affected employees who are due $128,704.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division is now responsible for distributing these back wages and wants the affected workers to know that they can still claim their back wages. Even if employees received some installment payments, the division may have additional funds to distribute.

"The Wage and Hour Division is determined to deliver back wages to all affected workers who earned them. We encourage these workers to contact us at 1-202-343-5524 or use our online search tool, Workers Owed Wages, to find out if they are owed back wages," said Wage and Hour Division Caribbean District Director José R. Vázquez in Puerto Rico. "Please use the search term 'PR Police' when using the Workers Owed Wages system."

An investigation by the department's Wage and Hour Division found that between June 2010 and August 2014, the commonwealth's police department willfully committed numerous violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act, most significantly regarding the failure to pay overtime properly.

Employers and workers can call the division with questions and requests for compliance assistance at its toll-free helpline, 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). Employers are encouraged to use the agency's industry-specific compliance assistance toolkits to learn about their responsibilities under the laws enforced by the division. The agency's PAID program offers employers an opportunity to self-report and resolve potential minimum wage and overtime violations under the FLSA, as well as certain potential violations under the Family and Medical Leave Act.

Learn more about the Wage and Hour Division, including a search tool to use if you think you may be owed back wages collected by the division. Download the agency's free timesheet app for iOS and Android devices to track hours and pay.